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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. tube — the underground
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. file — a tool
  7. rash — a series
  8. file — a line of people
  9. tube — a container
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ground — crushed
  12. file — a document
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. rash — hasty
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ground — the earth
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. mark — a grade
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mark — a trace
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com